Stories from Wednesday, November 30, 2016

KEARNEY, Neb. -- A suspicious bag that led to Tuesday's evacuation of three buildings at the University of Nebraska at Kearney was not a threat. At approximately 3 p.m., UNK evacuated the Fine Arts Building, Health and Sports Center and Cushing Coliseum after a faculty member reported a suspicious bag located outside the Fine Arts Building...

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. -- The McCook Bison ended their inaugural unified bowling season with a second-place finish at Tuesday's District 7 meet in Grand Island...

Donnaline Kitt WAUNETA , Neb. -- Carla Donnaline Kerns Kitt, 90, died Sunday (Nov. 27 2016), at Sunrise Heights Nursing Home in Wauneta. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dean Kitt; parents, Hugh and Maybelle Richardson Kerns; two sons, Randy and Kirby Kitt; and sister, Yvonne Hilderbrand...

Merle M. Pfeiffer Sept. 10, 1933 - Nov. 27, 2016 ARAPAHOE, Neb. -- Merle M. Pfeiffer, 83, of Arapahoe, died Sunday (Nov. 27, 2016), at Elwood Care Center in Elwood, Neb, He was born on Sept. 10, 1933, at the family farm in Frontier County to Oswald and Dorothy (Niedeberger) Pfeiffer. He graduated from Arapahoe High School in 1951...

John C. Burnside April 10, 1950 - Nov. 25, 2016 McCOOK, Neb. -- John C. Burnside, 66, passed away Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, in McCook. John was a person that enjoyed spending time with his friends and family. He grew up in Washington state. After high school, he joined the U.S. Navy and served four years, then served two years in the Coast Guard...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The Oberlin Area Concert Band will help to kick-off the Christmas season in McCook with a concert at the Fox Theatre at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4. The concert will open with selections from their fall concert in Oberlin including excerpts from Dvorak's Symphony No. 5, trumpet and tuba solos with band accompaniment, and a Dixieland combo...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Wish list letters have been sent to Santa. Fisher-Price little people, the swing, and Dungeons and Dragons have been added to the Toy Hall of Fame. Now the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee will be sharing favorite toy and game stories at their First Tuesday event Dec. 6 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Bieroc Café...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The Brotherhood of Saint Andrew affiliated with St. Alban's Episcopal Church plans its annual St. Andrews Day Soup Supper, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday. The Brotherhood will be serving vegetable beef and chili soups with homemade desserts. The soup supper will be in the Parish Hall of St. Alban's Church, 108 West F in McCook. A free will offering will be accepted. Everyone is welcome to attend...

McCOOK, Neb. -- McCook Community College theater will present the backstage story of "A Christmas Carol ... more or less" at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the Weeth Theater in Tipton Hall on the McCook Community College campus.

McCOOK, Neb. -- 'Twas 26 days before Christmas, and all through the shop, Volunteers were stirring, filling the shelves to the top. Stockings were hung by the front door with care, In hopes that shoppers soon would be there... "Have yourself a merry little Christmas" ... by shopping at the 10th annual "Christmas Store" inside the Helping Hand Thrift Shop in downtown McCook...

HOLDREGE, Neb. -- Three Nebraska photographers has been selected to join Nebraska Rural Living's online art gallery after this quarter's jury process. Photographers Shawn Erickson of Bertrand, Bill Coe of Max and Marlene Barnett-Meitl of McCook are now showcased in the "Fine Art in Towns Under 10,000" online art gallery at http://nebraskaruralliving.com/art-galle......

We've made great strides in modern public health, but it's easy to take it for granted. Unfortunately, old diseases like measles and polio are still around, decades after they should have been wiped out -- perhaps we mean centuries -- bubonic plague bacteria is still being detected in squirrels in the California mountains...

We are past Thanksgiving, so I guess it's okay to talk about Christmas. It is difficult to know what to get for your favorite astronomer. Do they need a new Do-dad for their telescope, do they already have that new gizmo you are going to buy, or do they even need what you are planning to get?...